From Death Grip to Peace: Your Guide to Mindful Commuting

In this practical and immediately applicable episode, learn how to transform your stressful commute (or any tense situation) using simple muscle relaxation techniques. Whether you're behind the wheel, at your computer, or standing in line, you'll discover how to tune into your body and thoughts to reduce physical tension and mental stress.

From checking your shoulder position and loosening your death grip on the steering wheel to releasing jaw tension and redirecting anxious thoughts toward gratitude, this episode provides a step-by-step guide to commuting with peace instead of stress. Plus, hear the story of how a traffic jam led to the discovery of a hidden creek—a reminder that even our most frustrating moments can hold unexpected gifts when we shift our perspective.

Perfect for anyone who spends time in traffic, deals with daily stress, or wants practical tools for finding calm in chaotic moments. Your neck, shoulders, and sanity will thank you.

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Transcript

Sometimes I grip my steering wheel so hard that if it were a banana, it would be mush. Well, an hour and 10 commute to and from work is part of the problem. Cars and semis speeding on the highway going faster than 80 miles per hour. And of course, the unexpected debris. All that accounts for 50% of the stress in my neck, shoulders, and hands.

The other 50% is on me. 

The highway conditions are secondary to my thoughts, which take unauthorized detours and create further tension. I can't control the traffic, but I can control how I'm responding to it and what's going on in my head. That's how I created my own commuter mindful muscle relaxation. 

Whether you are driving or in front of a computer, standing in line, you can do muscle mindfulness. Even while driving, you can tune into your body thoughts and surroundings with two hands on the wheel.  

Let's start with your upper body. What is the position of your shoulders? Are these in neutral or are you able to press your shoulders down and away from your ears? Doing so creates less tension. 

Check your grip on the steering wheel by gripping tightly tension travels through your arms into your neck. Loosening the grip will decrease the stress.

Now let's focus on your jaw. If your neck is tense, your jaw may be as well. Slightly open your mouth and if you feel a release of tension, that's a good thing. Very gently wiggle your jaw from side to side. 

Now it's time to move to your thoughts. What's on your mind as you commute? Do you reminisce, self criticize, make lists, focus on past events, or make future plans? Are your thoughts neutral, negative, or positive?  

Your mind can get addicted to tension inducing thoughts, so act like you're changing radio stations. Opt for gratitude. Reciting verses or singing along with Christian music.  All these can reduce muscular stress in your posture, jaw, neck, shoulders, and hands.  

The final aspect of your mindful commute is noticing your surroundings. 

While living in Cincinnati, Ohio, I drove 45 minutes to and from work for three years. You could count on the usual slowdown spots on I-75. One day I came to a full stop on a freeway bridge while in the left lane. 

You know how you lean to the left trying to see beyond the car in front of you? Well, as I did so, I noticed a creek below the freeway bridge. It caught the corner of my eye. A skinny creek with plants growing along the banks. A trickle of water wet the rocky bottom.

Speeding by, I would've missed it. But going nowhere, I chose gratitude for the slowdown that led me to the creek. From then on, anytime traffic slowed to a crawl, my creek became a respite from the concrete and asphalt road. I traveled every day.  

The bottom line-appreciate your surroundings and anticipate small joys. Well, now you know how to commute mindfully. Use these tips to decrease your stress, create a positive focus, and lift your spirit.  

Thank you for listening. If you found this episode helpful, please share it with others. Go to the episode description so you can find my email, Facebook link and Substack link for Anchored Not Anxious insights. Until next time